The broad statement to be understood in the consideration of the matter presented here, involves the desirability of providing some way of eliminating the disease known as Lethal Yellow and prevent the same from destroying palm trees of various species whether they be of the Jamaican tall variety, Malayan or other hybrids. Particularly affected are coconut palms which are planted and grown to provide coconut for their various uses, or as ornamentals.
As a result of long examination and continued study of the problems relating to the ultimate result known as Lethal Yellow, I have found that there are several areas which need to be addressed to deal with this disease, which is particularly difficult to deal with because of the kind of tree or plant which the palm tree actually is, namely what is known as a class of tree or class of plant of the Monocotyledon type. This tree is a very primitive type of plant and does not in general regenerate cell tissue when injured, but needs nutrient fertilizers to meet the conditions which are encountered by palm trees in growth in various areas including freezing temperatures and other traumatic effects upon the plant itself.
The Palm is a Monocotyledon, for example, is in a primitive plant class, and as such is a variety of tree which needs abundant nutritional fertilizer to thrive and to prosper under current existing conditions.
Palm trees which are under stress and have cell tissue damage from cold, must rely on stored nutrients. When these are lacking, malnutritional disorders become evident and fungal diseases, such as Phytophora palmivora (but rot), fusarium and pseudomonas often infect and most always kill the trees as primary or secondary diseases.
Thus it has been found that specially blended soluble fertilizers and pesticides also control various diseases as well as the "Lethal Yellow" which is most cases is incorrectly diagnosed because the symptoms are almost identical.
It is noted that one of the primary problems which necessitates the treatment of palm trees which are affected by the Lethal Yellow disease, is to prevent the spread of the same from tree to tree or from an infected tree to nearby presumably healthy trees.
To this end the desirability of removal of dead or dying trees and particularly or those that are dying and in the initial stages of the dying process becomes apparent, so that whatever is causing the problem which will be addressed subsequently can be prevented from spreading.
I have found during the course of my research in this area that there is in fact a basis for the Lethal Yellow which comes from an organism called a mycoplasma, a pneumonia-like organism which is spread from one tree to another by "vectors", which are often in the form of leaf hoppers, flies, and other insects carrying the mycoplasma.
The control of "Lethal Yellow" is accomplished with a systemic insecticide upon contact, or when the insect feeds upon the tree, or lays its eggs in the meristem. The fertilizers which are used herein, kill the fungal diseases which are brought in by the insects.